Dusky Time!

Seems years ago since I went on a proper twitch and this one came completely out-of-the-blue, but don't they always? Chilling late on a Friday night, news filtered through of a probable Dusky Thrush in Margate Cemetery in Kent...present for the last 3 days!! The link to the website revealed a photo of a 'Redwing' which did not look right, then photo's from the day published and there it was for the public to see..Dusky Thrush..first twitchable bird in the UK since 1959!

The rest is history as they say, managed to grab a lift with Ad's  Bowley as everyone else was either there or 'on their way'...or just not answering their phones(already there)! :-) Got there in good time and the bird was sitting tight in a sycamore upon arrival, took me a while to get onto the bird but was quite a scene watching everyone scrambling and dodging gravestones and resting places to sneek a view. (more to follow)

 

Dusky Thrush - a very typical view whilst we were there!



Glossy Ibis @ Warningcamp

Enjoyed a good morning in the Arun valley, starting at Swanbourne, then the WWT followed by an encounter with a Glossy Ibis at Warnincamp..Sedge and Reed Warblers have arrived at the WWT, whilst hirundines were around in good number with Sand and House Martins and Swallows all seen. Pergrine Falcon's were displaying above the hangar, whilst Mediterranean Gulls were amongst the many Black-headed Gulls on site.



 



Widerscope Wedding

I was the last widerscoper to fall...had an absoloutley amazing day..thanks to all for your wishes...below you will see us birders that were present...there was a Peregrine up there you know!

(from left to right) my uncle Garry 'the monk' Messenbird, Seth 'the grubster' Gibson, myself 'the married one' , Glen 'no danger' Maddison, Gary 'the boiler' Thoburn and lastly Danny 'the pirate' Cooper

Taken by Mrs Sami Gibson!

 

 

 

 



Semi-p Record finally accepted!!!

#BBRCdecision :Ref.No 3881 Accepted-Semipalmated Sandpiper 22-August-07 Carnsew Pool, Hayle,Cornwall

News today from the BBRC, our record of our find way back in 2007 on a birding trip down to Hayle estuary has finally been accepted..seems my digiscoped images(those were the days)! clinched it..but to be honest, it was ticked off on my list ! a nice accepted find by myself, Seth Gibson and Glenn Maddison

Below is a couple of links relating to this records history

http://www.cornwall-birding.co.uk/articles/possible-semipalmated-sandpiper-at-hayle-220807/

http://www.cornwall-birding.co.uk/articles/semipalmated-sandpiper-hayle-220807-update/

http://www.freewebs.com/widerscoped/nick2007.htm - I had such an attitude back then :-)

 

Digiscoping days (N.Bond)



Slow Going!

With my impending wedding, the chances of getting out birding have been pretty limited, but to be honest I just got fed up with the weather, hours trudging around finding very little, hours after trying to warm up!! We need some sunshine!! Anyway, things brightened up somewhat the weekend of the 6th and 7th April, with the 6th seeing me head into East Sussex and an early morning start at Cuckmere, which despite the sun-rise it was bitterly cold with plenty of ground frost. Plenty of gulls were on the move eastwards, mainly Common Gull's but the odd Med Gull flew over mainly in pairs calling away and all adult birds. Along the river bank, plenty of pipit's and Skylarks were sheltering from the cold, then I almost trod on a Snipe...which flew a short distance in front of me before landing again..the give-away bobbing motion clinched a Jack Snipe, the bird then rather suprisingly flew low across the scrape and ditched in and out of view...just as the camera was focusing! Took a while to locate the Black-necked Grebe which was with the Little Grebes on the meanders, mainly as on the far bank two seperate dog walkers let their dogs run free and obviously disturbing the grebes which proceeded in doing their best to hide. The Black-necked Grebe was always distant, by now the cold had got to me and decided to walk back to the motor where I bumped into Mick and his daughter, a brief catch up and I was back in the car and continued east to Rye in the hope of catching up with a Kentish Plover. Seem to take an age to get here and parking up, soon bumped into several birders with no sign of any Kentish Plovers all morning! Cold easterles were making birding and scanning albeit difficult but it was soon evident that any Kentish Plovers were on view from the shelter at Lime Kiln cottage...good views of Avocet and Ringed Plover were had from here whilst a single Bar-tailed Godwit was also seen at the back of the pool, Med Gulls occassionally called as they headed over and Sandwich terns were seen flying around in the background. I decided to head sout and check the flat beach and took shelter from the old lifeguard building to scan the waders...scope attachment to my tripod had decide to break so was birding free-hand..a pale plover had passed my scope and looked good for a Kentish, tried desperatley to re-locate the bird and had raised the alarm to Mike and his partner..my suspicions were confirmed when Mike got his scope on the bird albeit a bit distant feeding amongst the Grey Plover...we managed to get other birders onto the bird, a nice male...just a shame it was not closer and the temperatures a little warmer! Nice to meet Dave Potter on site albeit not realising until reading his blog :-(
Headed back home via Uckfield where I saw what looked good for a Goshawk nr Crowhurst(diverted here en-route to Uckfield)!! circling above a pine forest!! nowhere to stop the car and diverted traffic behind, but was defo no Sparrowhawk nor Buzzard..dare not ask if any breed in the area!
The reason for visiting Uckfield was to meet up with Joanne Chattaway the editor of the Sussex bird report, to chat about the recent report etc..was great to see Joanne again and catch up exchanging views and sightings and walking away with 10 x 2011 bird reports to sell at the Arundel WWT gift shop, the first time they have sold them here as far as I am aware so will see how they go!
The following day saw a afternoon trip to the Arundel WWT and several usual birds were found, including Raven, Red Kite, at least 5 individual Buzzards and a Black-headed Gull that was ringed (right leg - white ring 2C33) so info sent off to Euring..also for the second week running a different Red Kite was hunting just east of the A27 (service station) in Arundel

PB re-visited

Been a while since I have been to Pulborough Brooks, but decided to give this a bash this morning especially as the sun was trying to make an appearance for the first time in which felt a very long time! Such has been my elusiveness from this site I was asked for my RSPB membership upon arrival and was greeted by Russ who joined us along the trail to the north brooks, proved to be a good choice as between us, we managed to see the Spoonbill depart southwards distantly, as we approached the hangar, well spotted Russ!, the north brooks held good numbers of wildfowl including Pintail, whilst moving around to Winpenny a single Chiff Chaff was feeding on the deck in the cattle field. Good number of Ruff were seen at Winpenny aswell as Snipe, a couple of Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwit. We saw 2 Little-ringed Plovers from Westmead and good number of Fieldfare and Redwing were still around. Good company around the reserve, I have missed this place!

One of the good number of Ruff

Fieldfare still around in good numbers

Distant record shots of Little-ringed Plovers



Goring Delight!

The bitter easterlies enabled me to bird from the comfort of my car today, and made a good choice with a good hour plus lost at Goring gap, where birds dropped into roost throughout my stay, Sandwich Terns were roosting with the regular gull flock, initially counting 26, they were gradually joined by more with the most I counted was 48. 3 Wheatears were found nearby sheltering out of the wind, 2 males and a female, whilst the gull flock contained at least 6 Med Gulls including a smart looking 1st winter bird. I had to leave for work as more birds were arriving so I would think that the Sandwich Tern roost would increase in number, according to Clive Hope , this could be a site record for roosting Sandwich Terns especially in spring!

Here you can see 2 adult Med Gulls along with a 1st winter with the Sandwich Terns

First Wheatears of the year

Sandwich Terns coming into roost